The Secretary shall implement the program under this section so that discount cards and transitional assistance are first available by not later than 6 months after December 8, 2003.

(B) Expediting implementation

The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out the program under this section which may be effective and final immediately on an interim basis as of the date of publication of the interim final regulation. If the Secretary provides for an interim final regulation, the Secretary shall provide for a period of public comments on such regulation after the date of publication. The Secretary may change or revise such regulation after completion of the period of public comment.

transitional assistance shall be available after such date to the extent the assistance relates to drugs dispensed on or before such date.

(ii) TransitionIn the case of an individual who is enrolled in an endorsed discount card program as of December 31, 2005, during the individual’s transition period (if any) under clause (iii), in accordance with transition rules specified by the Secretary—

The terms “endorsed discount card program” and “endorsed program” mean a prescription drug discount card program that is endorsed (and for which the sponsor has a contract with the Secretary) under this section.

is entitled to benefits, or enrolled, under part A or enrolled under part B; and

(ii)

subject to paragraph (4), is not an individual described in subparagraph (B).

(B) Individual described

An individual described in this subparagraph is an individual described in subparagraph (A)(i) who is enrolled under subchapter XIX (or under a waiver under section 1315 of this title of the requirements of such subchapter) and is entitled to any medical assistance for outpatient prescribed drugs described in section 1396d(a)(12) of this title.

(2) Transitional assistance eligible individual

(A) In general

Subject to subparagraph (B), the term “transitional assistance eligible individual” means a discount card eligible individual who resides in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia and whose income (as determined under subsection (f)(1)(B)) is not more than 135 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 9902(2) of this title, including any revision required by such section) applicable to the family size involved (as determined under subsection (f)(1)(B)).

(B) Exclusion of individuals with certain prescription drug coverageSuch term does not include an individual who has coverage of, or assistance for, covered discount card drugs under any of the following:

(1) Enrollment processThe Secretary shall establish a process through which a discount card eligible individual is enrolled and disenrolled in an endorsed discount card program under this section consistent with the following:

(A) Continuous open enrollmentSubject to the succeeding provisions of this paragraph and subsection (h)(9), a discount card eligible individual who is not enrolled in an endorsed discount card program and is residing in a State may enroll in any such endorsed program—

at any time beginning on the initial enrollment date, specified by the Secretary, and before January 1, 2006.

(B) Use of standard enrollment form

An enrollment in an endorsed program shall only be effected through completion of a standard enrollment form specified by the Secretary. Each sponsor of an endorsed program shall transmit to the Secretary (in a form and manner specified by the Secretary) information on individuals who complete such enrollment forms and, to the extent provided under subsection (f), information regarding certification as a transitional assistance eligible individual.

The Secretary shall establish a process, similar to (and coordinated with) the process for annual, coordinated elections under section 1395w–21(e)(3) of this title during 2004, under which an individual enrolled in an endorsed discount card program may change the endorsed program in which the individual is enrolled for 2005.

(iii) Additional exceptions

The Secretary shall permit an individual to change the endorsed discount card program in which the individual is enrolled in the case of an individual who changes residence to be outside the service area of such program and in such other exceptional cases as the Secretary may provide (taking into account the circumstances for special election periods under section 1395w–21(e)(4) of this title). Under the previous sentence, the Secretary may consider a change in residential setting (such as placement in a nursing facility) or enrollment in or disenrollment from a plan under part C through which the individual was enrolled in an endorsed program to be an exceptional circumstance.

(D) Disenrollment

(i) Voluntary

An individual may voluntarily disenroll from an endorsed discount card program at any time. In the case of such a voluntary disenrollment, the individual may not enroll in another endorsed program, except under such exceptional circumstances as the Secretary may recognize under subparagraph (C)(iii) or during the annual coordinated enrollment period provided under subparagraph (C)(ii).

In the case of a discount card eligible individual who is enrolled in a plan described in section 1395w–21(a)(2)(A) of this title or under a reasonable cost reimbursement contract under section 1395mm(h) of this title that is offered by an organization that also is a prescription discount card sponsor that offers an endorsed discount card program under which the individual may be enrolled and that has made an election to apply the special rules under subsection (h)(9)(B) for such an endorsed program, the individual may only enroll in such an endorsed discount card program offered by that sponsor.

(2) Enrollment fees

(A) In general

Subject to the succeeding provisions of this paragraph, a prescription drug card sponsor may charge an annual enrollment fee for each discount card eligible individual enrolled in an endorsed discount card program offered by such sponsor. The annual enrollment fee for either 2004 or 2005 shall not be prorated for portions of a year. There shall be no annual enrollment fee for a year after 2005.

The Secretary shall establish an arrangement under which a State may provide for payment of some or all of the enrollment fee for some or all enrollees who are not transitional assistance eligible individuals in the State, as specified by the State under the arrangement. Insofar as such a payment arrangement is made with respect to an enrollee, the amount of the enrollment fee shall be paid directly by the State to the sponsor.

(ii) No Federal matching available under medicaid or SCHIP

Expenditures made by a State for enrollment fees described in clause (i) shall not be treated as State expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under subchapter XIX or XXI.

(G) Rules in case of changes in program enrollment during a year

The Secretary shall provide special rules in the case of payment of an annual enrollment fee for a discount card eligible individual who changes the endorsed program in which the individual is enrolled during a year.

In the case of a discount card eligible individual who enrolls in an endorsed program, access to negotiated prices and transitional assistance, if any, under such endorsed program shall take effect on such date as the Secretary shall specify.

The dissemination of information under clause (i) shall, to the extent practicable, be coordinated with the dissemination of educational information on other medicare options.

(C) Special rule for initial enrollment date under the program

To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure, through the activities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), that discount card eligible individuals are provided with such information at least 30 days prior to the initial enrollment date specified under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).

(D) Use of medicare toll-free number

The Secretary shall provide through the toll-free telephone number 1–800–MEDICARE for the receipt and response to inquiries and complaints concerning the program under this section and endorsed programs.

(C) Information on balance of transitional assistance available at point-of-sale

Each sponsor offering an endorsed discount card program shall have a mechanism so that information on the amount of transitional assistance remaining under subsection (g)(1)(B) is available (electronically or by telephone) at the point-of-sale of covered discount card drugs.

Subject to clause (ii), the information under subparagraph (A) shall be provided at the time of purchase of the drug involved, or, in the case of dispensing by mail order, at the time of delivery of such drug.

For purposes of this section, negotiated prices shall take into account negotiated price concessions, such as discounts, direct or indirect subsidies, rebates, and direct or indirect remunerations, for covered discount card drugs, and include any dispensing fees for such drugs.

(B) Ensuring pharmacy access

Each prescription drug card sponsor offering an endorsed discount card program shall secure the participation in its network of a sufficient number of pharmacies that dispense (other than solely by mail order) drugs directly to enrollees to ensure convenient access to covered discount card drugs at negotiated prices (consistent with rules established by the Secretary). The Secretary shall establish convenient access rules under this clause that are no less favorable to enrollees than the standards for convenient access to pharmacies included in the statement of work of solicitation (#MDA906–03–R–0002) of the Department of Defense under the TRICARE Retail Pharmacy (TRRx) as of March 13, 2003.

(C) Prohibition on charges for required services

(i) In general

Subject to clause (ii), a prescription drug card sponsor (and any pharmacy contracting with such sponsor for the provision of covered discount card drugs to individuals enrolled in such sponsor’s endorsed discount card program) may not charge an enrollee any amount for any items and services required to be provided by the sponsor under this section.

For purposes of this section, the Secretary shall define the terms “income” and “family size” and shall specify the methods and period for which they are determined. If under such methods income or family size is determined based on the income or family size for prior periods of time, the Secretary shall permit (whether through a process of reconsideration or otherwise) an individual whose income or family size has changed to elect to have eligibility for transitional assistance determined based on income or family size for a more recent period.

(2) Use of self-certification for transitional assistance

(A) In general

Under the procedures specified under paragraph (1)(A) an individual who wishes to be treated as a transitional assistance eligible individual or a special transitional assistance eligible individual under this section (or another qualified person on such individual’s behalf) shall certify on the enrollment form under subsection (c)(1)(B) (or similar form specified by the Secretary), through a simplified means specified by the Secretary and under penalty of perjury or similar sanction for false statements, as to the amount of the individual’s income, family size, and individual’s prescription drug coverage (if any) insofar as they relate to eligibility to be a transitional assistance eligible individual or a special transitional assistance eligible individual. Such certification shall be deemed as consent to verification of respective eligibility under paragraph (3). A certification under this paragraph may be provided before, on, or after the time of enrollment under an endorsed program.

The Secretary shall establish methods (which may include the use of sampling and the use of information described in subparagraph (B)) to verify eligibility for individuals who seek to enroll in an endorsed program and for individuals who provide a certification under paragraph (2).

(B) Information describedThe information described in this subparagraph is as follows:

(i) Medicaid-related information

Information on eligibility under subchapter XIX and provided to the Secretary under arrangements between the Secretary and States in order to verify the eligibility of individuals who seek to enroll in an endorsed program and of individuals who provide certification under paragraph (2).

(ii) Social security information

Financial information made available to the Secretary under arrangements between the Secretary and the Commissioner of Social Security in order to verify the eligibility of individuals who provide such certification.

(iii) Information from Secretary of the Treasury

Financial information made available to the Secretary under section 6103(l)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in order to verify the eligibility of individuals who provide such certification.

(C) Verification in cases of medicaid enrollees

(i) In general

Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing the Secretary from finding that a discount card eligible individual meets the income requirements under subsection (b)(2)(A) if the individual is within a category of discount card eligible individuals who are enrolled under subchapter XIX (such as qualified medicare beneficiaries (QMBs), specified low-income medicare beneficiaries (SLMBs), and certain qualified individuals (QI–1s)).

to have payment made of any annual enrollment fee charged under subsection (c)(2) for enrollment under the program; and

(B)

to have payment made, up to the amount specified in paragraph (2), under such endorsed program of 90 percent (or 95 percent in the case of a special transitional assistance eligible individual) of the costs incurred for covered discount card drugs obtained through the program taking into account the negotiated price (if any) for the drug under the program.

except as provided in subparagraph (E), the amount by which the amount available under this paragraph for 2004 for that individual exceeds the amount of payment made under paragraph (1)(B) for that individual for costs incurred during 2004.

(B) Proration

(i) In general

In the case of an individual not described in clause (ii) with respect to a year, the Secretary may prorate the amount specified in subparagraph (A) for the balance of the year involved in a manner specified by the Secretary.

with respect to 2004, enrolls in an endorsed program, and provides a certification under subsection (f)(2), before the initial implementation date of the program under this section; and

(II)

with respect to 2005, is enrolled in an endorsed program, and has provided such a certification, before February 1, 2005.

(C) Accounting for available balances in cases of changes in program enrollment

In the case of a transitional assistance eligible individual who changes the endorsed discount card program in which the individual is enrolled under this section, the Secretary shall provide a process under which the Secretary provides to the sponsor of the endorsed program in which the individual enrolls information concerning the balance of amounts available on behalf of the individual under this paragraph.

(D) Limitation on use of funds

Pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(C), no assistance shall be provided under paragraph (1)(B) with respect to covered discount card drugs dispensed after December 31, 2005.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding a pharmacy from reducing or waiving the application of coinsurance imposed under paragraph (1)(B) in accordance with section 1320a–7b(b)(3)(G) of this title.

(B) Optional payment of coinsurance by State

(i) In general

The Secretary shall establish an arrangement under which a State may provide for payment of some or all of the coinsurance under paragraph (1)(B) for some or all enrollees in the State, as specified by the State under the arrangement. Insofar as such a payment arrangement is made with respect to an enrollee, the amount of the coinsurance shall be paid directly by the State to the pharmacy involved.

(ii) No Federal matching available under medicaid or SCHIP

Expenditures made by a State for coinsurance described in clause (i) shall not be treated as State expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under subchapter XIX or XXI.

The amount of any coinsurance imposed under paragraph (1)(B), whether paid or waived under this paragraph, shall not be taken into account in applying the limitation in dollar amount under paragraph (2).

(5) Ensuring access to transitional assistance for qualified residents of long-term care facilities and American Indians

The Secretary shall establish procedures and may waive requirements of this section to ensure that, for purposes of providing transitional assistance, pharmacies operated by the Indian Health Service, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations (as defined in section 1603 of title 25) have the opportunity to participate in the pharmacy networks of at least two endorsed programs in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia where such a pharmacy operates.

(6) No impact on benefits under other programs

The availability of negotiated prices or transitional assistance under this section shall not be treated as benefits or otherwise taken into account in determining an individual’s eligibility for, or the amount of benefits under, any other Federal program.

(7) Disregard for purposes of part C

Nonuniformity of benefits resulting from the implementation of this section (including the provision or nonprovision of transitional assistance and the payment or waiver of any enrollment fee under this section) shall not be taken into account in applying section 1395w–24(f) of this title.

(A) Prescription drug card sponsor and sponsor definedFor purposes of this section, the terms “prescription drug card sponsor” and “sponsor” mean any nongovernmental entity that the Secretary determines to be appropriate to offer an endorsed discount card program under this section, which may include—

any combination of the entities described in clauses (i) through (iv).

(B) Administrative qualifications

Each endorsed discount card program shall be operated directly, or through arrangements with an affiliated organization (or organizations), by one or more entities that have demonstrated experience and expertise in operating such a program or a similar program and that meets such business stability and integrity requirements as the Secretary may specify.

Each prescription drug card sponsor that seeks endorsement of a prescription drug discount card program under this section shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may specify, an application containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(B) Approval; compliance with applicable requirementsThe Secretary shall review the application submitted under subparagraph (A) and shall determine whether to endorse the prescription drug discount card program. The Secretary may not endorse such a program unless—

the sponsor has entered into a contract with the Secretary to carry out such requirements.

(C) Termination of endorsement and contracts

An endorsement of an endorsed program and a contract under subparagraph (B) shall be for the duration of the program under this section (including any transition applicable under subsection (a)(2)(C)(ii)), except that the Secretary may, with notice and for cause (as defined by the Secretary), terminate such endorsement and contract.

For purposes of the program under this section, the operations of an endorsed program are covered functions and a prescription drug card sponsor is a covered entity for purposes of applying part C of subchapter XI and all regulatory provisions promulgated thereunder, including regulations (relating to privacy) adopted pursuant to the authority of the Secretary under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note).[1]

(B) Waiver authority

In order to promote participation of sponsors in the program under this section, the Secretary may waive such relevant portions of regulations relating to privacy referred to in subparagraph (A), for such appropriate, limited period of time, as the Secretary specifies.

(B) may, to the extent otherwise permitted under paragraph (6) (relating to application of HIPAA requirements), market a product or service under the program only if the product or service is directly related to—

In the case of an organization that is offering a plan under part C or enrollment under a reasonable cost reimbursement contract under section 1395mm(h) of this title that is seeking to be a prescription drug card sponsor under this section, the organization may elect to apply the special rules under subparagraph (B) with respect to enrollees in any plan described in section 1395w–21(a)(2)(A) of this title that it offers or under such contract and an endorsed discount card program it offers, but only if it limits enrollment under such program to individuals enrolled in such plan or under such contract.

(B) Special rulesThe special rules under this subparagraph are as follows:

Pharmacy access requirements under subsection (e)(1)(B) are deemed to be met if the access is made available through a pharmacy network (and not only through mail order) and the network used by the sponsor is approved by the Secretary.

(iii) Sponsor requirements

The Secretary may waive the application of such requirements for a sponsor as the Secretary determines to be duplicative or to conflict with a requirement of the organization under part C or section 1395mm of this title (as the case may be) or to be necessary in order to improve coordination of this section with the benefits under such part or section.

(i) Disclosure and oversight

(1) Disclosure

Each prescription drug card sponsor offering an endorsed discount card program shall disclose to the Secretary (in a manner specified by the Secretary) information relating to program performance, use of prescription drugs by discount card eligible individuals enrolled in the program, the extent to which negotiated price concessions described in subsection (e)(1)(A)(ii) made available to the entity by a manufacturer are passed through to enrollees through pharmacies or otherwise, and such other information as the Secretary may specify. The provisions of section 1396r–8(b)(3)(D) of this title shall apply to drug pricing data reported under the previous sentence (other than data in aggregate form).

(2) Oversight; audit and inspection authority

The Secretary shall provide appropriate oversight to ensure compliance of endorsed discount card programs and their sponsors with the requirements of this section. The Secretary shall have the right to audit and inspect any books and records of a prescription discount card sponsor (and of any affiliated organization referred to in subsection (h)(1)(B)) that pertain to the endorsed discount card program under this section, including amounts payable to the sponsor under this section.

(3) Sanctions for abusive practices

The Secretary may implement intermediate sanctions or may revoke the endorsement of a program offered by a sponsor under this section if the Secretary determines that the sponsor or the program no longer meets the applicable requirements of this section or that the sponsor has engaged in false or misleading marketing practices. The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for conduct that a party knows or should know is a violation of this section. The provisions of section 1320a–7a of this title (other than subsections (a) and (b) and the second sentence of subsection (f)) shall apply to a civil money penalty under the previous sentence in the same manner as such provisions apply to a penalty or proceeding under section 1320a–7a(a) of this title.

(j) Treatment of territories

(1) In general

The Secretary may waive any provision of this section (including subsection (h)(2)(D)) in the case of a resident of a State (other than the 50 States and the District of Columbia) insofar as the Secretary determines it is necessary to secure access to negotiated prices for discount card eligible individuals (or, at the option of the Secretary, individuals described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)).

(2) Transitional assistance

(A) In general

In the case of a State, other than the 50 States and the District of Columbia, if the State establishes a plan described in subparagraph (B) (for providing transitional assistance with respect to the provision of prescription drugs to some or all individuals residing in the State who are described in subparagraph (B)(i)), the Secretary shall pay to the State for the entire period of the operation of this section an amount equal to the amount allotted to the State under subparagraph (C).

provides transitional assistance with respect to the provision of covered discount card drugs to some or all individuals who are entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B, who reside in the State, and who have income below 135 percent of the poverty line; and

(ii)

assures that amounts received by the State under this paragraph are used only for such assistance.

(C) Allotment limitThe amount described in this subparagraph for a State is equal to $35,000,000 multiplied by the ratio (as estimated by the Secretary) of—

(i)

the number of individuals who are entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B and who reside in the State (as determined by the Secretary as of July 1, 2003), to

(ii)

the sum of such numbers for all States to which this paragraph applies.

(D) Continued availability of funds

Amounts made available to a State under this paragraph which are not used under this paragraph shall be added to the amount available to that State for purposes of carrying out section 1396u–5(e) of this title.

(k) Funding

(1) Establishment of Transitional Assistance Account

(A) In general

There is created within the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund established by section 1395t of this title an account to be known as the “Transitional Assistance Account” (in this subsection referred to as the “Account”).

(B) Funds

The Account shall consist of such gifts and bequests as may be made as provided in section 401(i)(1) of this title, accrued interest on balances in the Account, and such amounts as may be deposited in, or appropriated to, the Account as provided in this subsection.

(C) Separate from rest of Trust Fund

Funds provided under this subsection to the Account shall be kept separate from all other funds within the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, but shall be invested, and such investments redeemed, in the same manner as all other funds and investments within such Trust Fund.

(2) Payments from account

(A) In general

The Managing Trustee shall pay from time to time from the Account such amounts as the Secretary certifies are necessary to make payments for transitional assistance provided under subsections (g) and (j)(2).

(B) Treatment in relation to part B premium

Amounts payable from the Account shall not be taken into account in computing actuarial rates or premium amounts under section 1395r of this title.

(3) Appropriations to cover benefits

There are appropriated to the Account in a fiscal year, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, an amount equal to the payments made from the Account in the year.

(4) For administrative expenses

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out the Secretary’s responsibilities under this section.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to provide for payment (other than payment of an enrollment fee on behalf of a transitional assistance eligible individual under subsection (g)(1)(A)) to a sponsor for administrative expenses incurred by the sponsor in carrying out this section (including in administering the transitional assistance provisions of subsections (f) and (g)).

“The following rules shall apply to the medicare prescription drug discount card and transitional assistance program under section 1860D–31 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395w–141], as added by section 101(a):

Section 1857(c)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–27(c)(5)) shall apply with respect to section 1860D–31 of such Act, as added by section 101(a), in the same manner as it applies to part C of title XVIII of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1395w–21 et seq.].

There shall be no judicial review of a determination not to endorse, or enter into a contract, with a prescription drug card sponsor under section 1860D–31 of the Social Security Act.

“(B)

In the case of any order issued to enjoin any provision of section 1860D–31 of the Social Security Act (or of [sic] any provision of this section [amending sections 1395r, 1395t, and 1396r–8 of this title and sections 6103 and 7213 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code]), such order shall not affect any other provision of such section (or of this section) and all such provisions shall be treated as severable.”

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